Interview with Grace Burrowes + Giveaway

Today we are pleased to welcome back to Book Lovers Inc. Grace Burrowes who, author of many wonderful Regency, Victorian and Scottish historical romances! Grace is celebrating the release of her brand new novel, Once Upon a Tartan with an epic eReader giveaway, which thanks to the generosity of Sourcebooks Book Lovers Inc. readers can participate in as well! 😀 So read on and don’t forget to enter the epic giveaway at the end!

Stella: Hi Grace, welcome to Book Lovers Inc!  Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Grace: Most important fact: I love to write. I love the drafting, revising, copy edit review, all of it. This was what I was born to do, and I’m so glad I have the chance to do it.

Stella: Are you a planner or pantser? Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do your novels come to life?

Grace: I often start with an opening line, which I hear in my head. The hero usually emerges from my imagination first, but by no means always. From that opening line, comes an opening scene, and from there I must excavate the larger story. I’m guessing that makes me a pantser.

Stella: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?

Grace: Meeting the right authors. I was a good student and I liked to read, but when I came across Kathleen Woodiwiss, I became a voracious reader who LOVED her books.

Stella: Your latest novel, Once Upon a Tartan is the second book in your MacGregor trilogy, could you tell us a bit about this series and what our readers can expect of Once Upon a Tartan in particular? (if you’d like you could even include a teaser or a titillating few lines)

Grace: I’m a child welfare attorney, and so I’ve seen far too often the tragedy that is a custody battle. Two people who love a child and believe they’re championing the child’s best interests end up spending a lot of money, time, and anxiety wrecking much of the child’s chance at happiness. It’s a terrible heartache for all involved, and thus a good challenge to hand to the characters of a romance if they’re to demonstrate courage, love and honor. Tye and Hester come through with flying colors, as does, of course, the child. Fiona.

Stella: Could you introduce the hero and heroine (or any other character) of Once Upon a Tartan to us?

Grace: Here’s what Tye thinks when he first sees Hester:

A female thundercloud was advancing on Tye where he sat his gelding, the little girl perched before him. Beneath his hand, he felt the child’s spine stiffen and her bony little shoulders square.

This particular thundercloud had golden blond hair piled on top of her head, quite possibly in an attempt to give an illusion of height. She wore an old-fashioned blue walking dress, the dusty hems of which were swishing madly around her boots as she sailed across the drive.

He’d always liked the sound of a woman’s petticoats in brisk motion, they gave a man a little warning—and something to think about.

Stella: Besides the hero and heroine there is another character elevated to the role of featured main character, and that is Fiona. How did the idea to build the whole story, the h/H interactions around a battle of wills for custody and love of a child?

Grace: As noted above, my day job intruded on my plotting efforts, but in hindsight, I see that Fiona is also a metaphor for the parts of Hester and Tye that have been orphaned. Neither adult is very good at recreation, at play, at trusting to instinct, and they relearn those skills in part because Fiona sets them a good example.

Stella: Do you remember how the story(characters) came to be? Any specific event/moment that inspired it?

Grace: I could hear Tye’s voice, hear its clipped diction and big words trying to hide a passionate nature, the way relentless pruning tries to keep a hedge of roses from going to riot. The same was true of Hester’s prim and tidy clothing, her never-a-hair-out-of-place appearance. These two badly needed some mussing and stammering, and they got both.

Stella: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read Once Upon a Tartan?

Grace: I’ll let Tiberius manage this one: 1) When he’s in bed with Hester, his naughty talk is in Latin. 2) He confides in his horse. 3) He never breaks his word to the child, EVER, even when it means he must buy her… a confounded bunny.

Stella: Awww 😀 Could you please summarize Once Upon a Tartan for us Twitter-style (in 140 characters or less)?

Grace: Honorable (if uppity!) earl battles spinster-on-her-dignity for custody of a child, and loses his heart to the girl and the lady both.

Grace: Love always wins, of course, but the Scottish novels have that English/Scottish dynamic to play with, and the all the tumult and variety of the Victorian response to the industrial revolution. VERY exciting times!

Stella: Could you tell us any “behind the scenes secret” related to the writing of Once Upon a Tartan (a real life moment/person inspiring a scene, something that didn’t make the final edits, a character who went through)?

Grace: Tye meets Fiona in the shade of a Treaty Oak, and the idea for that came from the fact that one of the five “surveying oaks” that fell in a line up the center of the valley where I was raised grew in a field below my parents’ house. I’ve loved the idea of trees participating in community life ever since.

Stella: With historical romances authors usually conduct some research, what was the most weird/interesting/stunning tidbit you discovered while researching your MacGregor trilogy?

Grace: It wasn’t until Victorian times that the word “orgasm” referred to female pleasure. In Regency usage, it referred to animals being fertile or in heat. Makes you wonder who was repressed, and who understood how to enjoy themselves.

Stella: LOL! 😀 What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us? When will the third and final part of the trilogy be released?

Grace: The MacGregor’s Lady comes out in February, and THEN we’ll have a story for one of Tiberius’s sisters, Lady Joan, as the 2014 Christmas story (title TBD!). We’d originally planned on only a trilogy, but I’m just having too much fun in the Scottish Highlands. The last time I got carried away like this we ended up with eight sibling novels and four novellas for the Windham series.

Stella: Could you share with us something, a trivia that not many people know about you?

Grace: One summer when I was exiled to San Diego as a kid, I learned the rudiments of sailing.

Tiberius Flynn may be every inch an English lord, but smart, headstrong beauty Hester Daniels has no use for his high-handed ways–no matter how handsome, charming, or beguiling he is. They only see eye to eye in caring about the feisty little girl who is under their protection.

Tiberius’s haughty insistence that his wealthy estate in England is a better place for the child than her beloved, rundown Scotland home sparks Hester’s fierce protectiveness, and the battle lines are drawn.

Praise for Once Upon a Tartan:

“Burrowes creates a powerful story replete with heartfelt emotion and rich characterization… An instant keeper.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ stars, Top Pick of the Month “Expert prose, likeable characters, realistic relationships, and believable complications create a pleasant and satisfying keeper.” —Publishers Weekly “Warmth, sensuality, and humor infuse Burrowes’ writing, and fans of Suzanne Enoch and Sarah MacLean should enjoy this series.” —Booklist “Grace Burrowes weaves her magic with words… a memorable love story—excellent and exquisite.” — A Long and Short Reviews Best Book

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes is the author of the acclaimed Windham Family Series, The MacGregor Trilogy and The Lonely Lords Series. Her debut novel, The Heir (2010), as well as The Bridegroom Wore Plaid (2012) were both included as Publishers Weekly Best Books of their respective years, in the romance category. A practicing attorney specializing in family law, Grace lives in rural Maryland, where she is working on the final book in the Windham series, Lady Jenny’s Christmas Portrait (October 2013) and third MacGregor story, The MacGregor’s Lady (February 2014), and many more books. Visit her website at www.graceburrowes.com for more information about all of her books, exclusive extras and her lively blog.

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open only to US/CAN residents!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, 24 August 2013; we will announce the winner on Saturday.

Good luck!

THE GRACE BURROWES ONCE UPON A TARTAN EREADER EXTRAVAGANZA!

10 eReaders, 10 Blogs, a different giveaway each day during the work week, August 5-9 and 12-16

Four Kindle Paperwhite 3Gs

Four Nook HDs

One Nook Color

One iPad

In celebration of Grace Burrowes’ latest book in the MacGregor Trilogy, 10 eReaders will be given away during the first two weeks of August! Follow along as Grace guest blogs and answers questions at different blogs, and enter a chance to win a brand new eReader!

About Stella

Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn’t live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

My favorite child actor/actress is Drew Barrymore. Love her innocence in ET and her charm and strength in Firestarter!! Love everything she has ever done. She is just a joy to watch. I still see the little girl in her eyes today. I can still see her playing dress up with a little lost alien friend. Typical little girl!!

The first character that came to mind was the boy from the movie “Love Actually.” He just lost his mother, and is living with his grief-stricken stepfather. He’s in love with the coolest girl in school, and he takes up the drums in order to impress her in the upcoming school musical. Girls always fall for musicians. LOL!

I adore all of Grace’s books but I especially love the Scottish books. Tye is so endearing and honorable.
My favorite child actor is the little guy who plays Darth Vader on commercials. Okay, not commercials? then David Mazouz from Touch who plays Keifer Sutherland’s 10 year old Autistic son.

If I had to pick my very favorite child character, Harry Potter. Not only did he go through so many emotional lows and horrific times, he found highs and good parts of life to pull him through. The fact that the world had a chance to watch that character evolve into a virtuous man helped greatly. He was able to find the peace and harmony we were all on bated breath hoping he would. All time favorite hands down!

Ender from Ender’s Game. Just read an excerpt from Thea Harrison’s Dragos Takes a Holiday from the Peanut’s POV. It’s going to be a long wait for his character to develop – but he’s already endeared himself to the ElderRaces fans. Reedmwordy@aol.com

Lovely interview, thank you. Manny & Luke from Modern Family are so different and yet both crack me up. Arya Stark from Game of Thrones is so tough yet heartbreaking. Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time is a character I related to so much growing up. I’ve read that book dozens of times, even as an adult!

There are two childhood characters who really stick in my mind. One is Laura from Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books and Anne from Anne of Green Gables. I really enjoyed seeing them grow and the place they grew up in. Such adventures!

What came to my mind was the actors who were in the harry Potter films – it’s fun to watch a marathon of the movies and watch them grow up.
I love children in romance books – they can show the softer side of the adult characters.

My favorite child characters would be Harry Potter or Anne of Green Gables they both got into tons of mischief, but I’m sure there are lots more that I just can’t think of 🙂 Thanks so much for the giveaway!!!

Highlander’s and Scotland are my favorite reads. I LOVED The Bridegroom Wore Plaid and cannot wait to read Once Upon A Tartan. If you ever get that reader trip under way Grace, PLEASE let us know as soon as possible. 🙂
My favorite child was Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Although Anna Pacquin is currently best known for her role on “TrueBlood” she started as a child actor and I believe was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “The Piano”. She was superb and still is.
Grace’s books are a total delight. I loved the interview.

Every time I visit a new blog I learn something new about you, Grace. 🙂 I wish I could learn to sail–but something is wrong with my inner GPS–I get violently seasick when upon the high seas in ANY kind of water craft. Also, I, too, loved Kathleen Woodiwiss and became a huge fan of romance novels as a result of her writing (and Bertrice Small’s and Rosemary Rogers’s as well). As to a favorite child character/actor, I’d have to say Shirley Temple/Black. I also enjoyed a lot of child actors in the old TV series Ozzie & Harriet, the Donna Reed Show and the Andy Griffith Show (and other similar series). Thanks for the post today.

When I was young I always really loved reading about Tom Sawyer, Becky and Huck. They all had a sense of what was right and were very brave. Although, despite being a girl myself, it was always Huck I wanted to be.

My most favorite was Matilda. I loved her ability to out reason the adults and her sense of justice. My least favorite has to be Ender from Ender’s Game, at the time I read it; I found the role a little too identifiable and felt far too betrayed on his behalf.

I would say Ron Weasley. I was in elementary school when the books first came out, so I feel like I grew up with the characters, just like many, but I always liked Ron, because he has a fun personality and is a great friend.

My favorite child character would be Nancy Drew. I read all The Hardy Boy books and Nancy Drew mysteries at my grandparents’ house (I was a voracious reader even then). My runner up would be Matilda, although I didn’t grow up with those books and came across them as a young adult (late teens, early 20s). I loved her spunk!

Yet another must read, Grace! Congrats! My fave childhood character is from the world of science fiction. I read a lot as a teen because my mother worked at a library and I had older brothers. One of my favorite authors was Robert A. Heinlein and right after my oldest brother was killed in the military (I was only nine) I read his juvy Podkayne from Mars. It was about a rather obnoxious teen girl who had adventures. The odd thing was, I thought the ending was different. When I reread it as an adult, I realized I’d interpreted it wrong. I mentioned it at a science fiction convention and the publisher rep told me what I thought as a child was the original ending. A few years afterward, they released both endings in a trade paperback and I’d like to think I inspired it!

Hard to choose one. Hermione from Harry Potter, Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Little House books, Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Louis from Suits, just to name a few!

I love Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter. Watching how he grew into a man during the Harry Potter series and knowing he was very close to being the one in the lead role really makes me think about choices and fate.

My favorite childhood character was Sara Crewe from A Little Princess. I read this book many, many times, even though it was a classic, even when I was a child. I loved the fact that she handled adversity so well and only wished that I could do so well. I dreamed of having a secret benefactor who would climb in my window and redecorate my bedroom. I loved animals, so the thought of a monkey sneaking in to keep me company added to the delight. My imagination was (and is) always so vivid, and the descriptions in the book were so detailed I could taste the exotic treats and feel the glorious fabrics. It was a bookaholics dream. michelle_willms@yahoo.com

Meg from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle’s. I do really like the Harry Potter series 🙂 Lots of re-reads…but Meg and the whole Wrinkle in time series stuck with me for many, many years. I remember I got older…and I remembered part of the story…..and I remembered how much I enjoyed it as a child…I wondered if as an adult I’d enjoy the story as much as I had when I was a kid. It actually took me about 3-6 months to figure out the name/author again but when I did I bought the entire set and re-read them all and fell in love all over again.

Meg is this lanky, awkward teen. She’s an absolute genius. In fact their whole family is the twins, her younger brother Charles and herself… She has the toughest time out of them all. Her twin brothers are in sports so they are well liked…her younger brother Charles hasn’t spoke in front of anyone, so they think he’s mentally handicapped. Meg gets into fights with bigger boys her size all the time who pick on or say mean things about her brother.

Her parents are extremely smart too and her mother is gorgeous (which makes Meg feel even more awkward). The dad is away on a secret mission, but then they find out he goes mission. They do some traveling and lets just say its NOT in the USA lol 🙂 Very fascinating world Madeleine created 🙂 I’d recommended it for any kid over 10 🙂

Sorry long post 😀 Just had to share my love…in fact I think I’ll start to re-read those again soon 🙂

I “met” my favorite child character while watching a black and white TV back in the 1950’s when I was about 9 years old and it was shen Shirley Temple hosted and narrated a successful NBC television anthology series of fairy tale adaptations called Shirley Temple’s Storybook on NBC.

It was so much fun and my family didn’t let us watch very much TV back then so it was always a “special treat” especially when some of my friends would come to stay overnight. Back then the TV sets were big but the screens were small and a lot of my friends didn’t have one at their own homes! Of course people still had “party lines” back then as well where you and the other people had to “share” the same phone line!

I also loved watching her “older” films that sometimes were on TV and seeing her as little more than a “toddler” belting out a song! Talk about “women’s lib” before it’s time!

One of my favorites is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Of course The White Rabbit comes to mine sometimes above Alice (I have a passion for rabbits!).
Grace I love your answer to Stella’s question referencing 3 reasons why your readers should read Once Upon a Tartan…..
point # 3 The Hero “never breaks his word to the child, EVER, even when it means he must buy her… a confounded bunny.”
My kind of man!

Harry Potter is my favorite. I loved reading these books as a child, then watching the movies as i grew up. So good! Tho, i think Hermione is my favorite character, that, or the twin brothers. They always made me laugh! hehe Thank you for sharing! Im loving your tour! Thank you! 🙂